Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway had a flashback moment Thursday night in the home clubhouse at Classic Park.
Callaway, a featured guest at the Lake County Captains 12th annual Hot Stove Dinner, was pitching coach for the Captains in 2010 when they won the Midwest League title.
While mixing with fans and signing autographs Thursday, Callaway was standing on the spot where, in September 2010, joyous Captains players doused him with beer and champagne after clinching the Midwest League title with a victory over the Clinton (Iowa) LumberKings.
“That was probably the best time I’ve had during my career in baseball,” Callaway said, smiling.
Later, while speaking to 250 fans in the field house adjacent to the clubhouse, Callaway said he has vivid recollections of watching the postgame craziness that night with Captains manager Ted Kubiak and hitting coach Phil Clark.
“It was so rewarding to see those guys dog-pile on the field and then come into this room to celebrate,” Callaway said. “That was my first coaching gig, so those memories are very special.”
Callaway showered praise on the 3 million-plus fans who have paid their way into Classic Park to watch the Captains since the Tribe’s full-season Class A affiliate set up shop in Eastlake in 2003.
“You make it feel like the big leagues,” Calloway said.
First-year Captains Manager Mark Budzinski also spoke during the formal presentation.
“For all of these great people to come out on a night like this is a good sign, in my book,” Budzinski said.
Thursday’s roster of promising Tribe minor-leaguers who were special guests at the Hot Stove Dinner included former Captains Jesus Aguilar (first base, 2011), Cody Anderson (pitcher, 2012), Joe Colon (pitcher 2011, ’12, ’13), Jake Lowery (catcher, 2012), Will Roberts (pitcher, 2012) and Giovanny Urshela (third base, 2011).
“It’s awesome here. I just talked to someone who was at the game when the Indians won the World Series in 1948,” Roberts said. “The fans here just love baseball.”
Another prized prospect at Thursday’s event, righthanded pitcher Tyler Cloyd, is new to the Indians organization but not to Classic Park.
In 2009, while still in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system, he made several visits to Eastlake as a player for the Lakewood (N.J.) BlueClaws.
Cloyd signed with Cleveland in December 2013 as a minor-league free agent.
“I’ve heard a lot of great things about the fans here and in Cleveland,” Cloyd said. “I’m already pumped for the (2014) season.”
The Captains open the season on April 4, hosting the Lansing (Mich.) Lugnuts.

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David has been a full-time writer with The News-Herald since 1984. He write about news, sports and entertainment, He served as president of the Television Critics Association from 1993-95. Reach the author at dglasier@News-Herald.com
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